Sport
Opportunities Fade: How Close Did Mathieu van der Poel Get to a Second World Title?
Mathieu van der Poel finished third in the road race at the World Championships in Montreal, securing a podium spot but missing out on the rainbow jersey. Despite starting as the least favorite among top riders, he controlled much of the race until the Côte Camillien-Houde climb proved too difficult, allowing Brandon McNulty to break away and win. Van der Poel sprinted for second place but was caught by Paul Seixas and Isaac del Toro, finishing third. He expressed pride in his performance but acknowledged that luck was needed for victory. This result marks a missed opportunity, as future World Championships feature courses in Abu Dhabi and Kopenhagen suited for sprinters rather than climbers, or mountain bike events, with the next viable road race chance not arriving until 2030 in Brussels.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's